What really happens to your brain when you don’t sleep? It is worse than you think

Sleep is often described as the body’s recovery period, but for the brain, it is more like a nightly cleaning cycle. During deep rest, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) circulates through brain tissue, clearing away waste and restoring balance in neural communication. When this cycle is disrupted, the effects reach far beyond fatigue, influencing memory, focus, and emotional stability. In recent years, scientists have turned their attention to how this cleansing process is controlled and what happens when it falters. Understanding how sleep loss alters CSF movement reveals not only why mental clarity suffers after sleepless nights but also how long-term deprivation may affect brain health. Every night, while the body appears still, the brain becomes remarkably active in maintenance. CSF, a cl